P6- (L) Gender Bias

Question 1

Wha is a further limitation of the diagnosis of schizophrenia? What did Fischer and Buchanan (2017) find?

Answer 1

A further limitation to the diagnosis of schizophrenia is the existence of gender bias. Fischer and Buchanan (2017) found that men are more commonly diagnosed with schizophrenia than women in a ratio of 1.4:1

Question 2

What are the multiple explanations for this disparity?

Answer 2

There are multiple explanations for this disparity: it may be due to genetic factor, with women simply being less vulnerable to schizophrenia, or environmental factors.

Question 3

What did cotton et al (2009) argue and why does gender bias in diagnosis matter?

Answer 3

Cotton et al (2009) argued that women receive enough social support to manage their condition without intervention. The gender bias in diagnosis matters because it means women with schizophrenia may not be receiving treatment or accessing services that could help them.